Pastor student killing trial nearing end

05 Apr 2017 13:40pm

WINDHOEK, 05 APR (NAMPA) - The trial of Windhoek resident Andre Fidel Dausab, who stands accused of murdering his student pastor girlfriend by stabbing her to death here in February 2014, is nearing its end.
Dausab, 36, is on trial before High Court Judge Naomi Shivute for the death of Motlamme Gotaone, 33, at the United Lutheran Theological Seminary Paulinum Campus in Windhoek on 22 February 2014.
The accused killer made another appearance in the High Court on Wednesday morning when his State-funded defence lawyer, Brownell Uirab informed the court that he will call his final defence witness - clinical psychologist Dr Ute Sinkala - to give evidence in respect of the defence when trial resumes on Friday.
Sinkala was scheduled to testify before court Wednesday morning, but could not due to other official commitments.
As a result, the trial was put on hold until Friday.
The postponement was decided on as per agreement reached between Dausab's defence lawyer and prosecution representative, State Advocate Constance Moyo in court.
It was also announced in court that the final submissions of evidence before judgement is handed down, will start before court on 12 April 2017.
Dausab informed the court on 05 November 2016 that he had no intention to kill Gotaone.
He also said he had no recollection of what happened during the stabbing incident that led to her death.
The former information technology technician said this as he testified in his evidence-in-chief during which he started crying uncontrollably.
He further told the court that he was unable to assist the deceased shortly after the stabbings, because he was confused.
I was so scared after I saw that my hands were covered in blood, he said.
A post-mortem showed that a broken knife was found stuck in the deceaseds back. Another broken knife covered in blood stains was also found in the kitchen, not far from Gotaone's body.
Dausab denied knowledge of the knives and could not recall using the knives during the stabbing incident. He could only remember them wrestling over a knife which the deceased allegedly had in her possession.
At the start of his trial on 05 September 2016, Dausab denied responsibility for the death of Gotaone.
In a statement presented before court by his lawyer, Dausab told the court he was suffering from temporary non-pathological insanity or criminal incapacity before and while committing the crime.
He has entered a not guilty plea.
Dausab remains in police custody since his arrest on 22 February 2014.
Gotaone, who was originally from neighbouring Botswana, was stabbed at least nine times with a sharp object and also sustained a cut to her throat.
Dausab called the police to inform them of the murder.
Gotaone had already died by the time police arrived at the scene.
(NAMPA)
SKE/ND/AS